Ag Census

You could debate the health of Illinois agriculture 17 different ways, but John Hawkins, spokesman for the Illinois Farm Bureau, says the results of the USDA ag census show it's still OK. There are fewer farms but more total acres. "We gained about 10 acres on average size of the farm. In 2007, around 350; now we’re up to 360 acres,” Hawkins says.

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The biggest farms drive up that average to 359 acres. The median size – half larger and half smaller – is only 100 acres. Illinois is seventh in ag production in the country, with $17.2 billion.